Conical cup



M. MERTA GONIGAL CUP Feb. 10, 1942.

Filed Jan. 3, 1938 INN. W W Mn.

Patented Feb. 10, 1942 2,212,808 comcar. our

Method Mei-ta, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Paper Container Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 3, 1938, Serial No. 1ss,14s'

5 Claims.

This invention relates to flexible receptacles or cups and to blanks therefor, said cups being adapted for any one of a number of commercial uses, as for example, a drinking cup, for semisolid or wholly solid products such as ice cream, confection, or other edible compositions.

More specifically, my invention relates to a cup or other receptacle which is substantially of conical form, which is made from a single blank and is capable of being compactly and quickly stacked, which has its narrower or bottom end in rounded form, and which has an annular bead or rolled edge at its upper periphery imparting substantial rigidity and strength to the cup.

Conical paper cups heretofore known which have been formed from a single cut blank have had the common objectionable feature of a sharp peripheral upper edge which, because of the thinness and texture of th paper, is quite sharp and frequently cuts a persons lips during drinking or when the cup is placed into drinking position, especially on fast moving trains or aeroplanes. 7

A further common characteristic of conical paper cups heretofore known is their excessive flexibility or non-rigidity, especially when the weight of the liquid is placed therein and th user must squeeze the cup sufliciently to hold it from slipping through his fingers, this action also bending the cup into an oval shape.

A further objectionable characteristic of many heretofore known conical cups is the sharply pointed apex which to some degree prevents compact and close nesting or packing and which, because of the relatively small area within the close annular wall merging into the apex, requires special and more costly operations and machinery in voluminous commercially practicable production and packaging of the cups.

A further objectionable feature of previously known conical cups having sharp-pointed apexes is that the excessively sharp point forming the apex and formed by the rolled water-proofed or coated paper, which point has frequently pierced the skin of handlers or users of the cups.

It is therefore an object of my' invention to provide a conoidal cup or'receptacle formed from a single blank of paper or the like which eliminates each of the above mentioned objectionable features both in construction and in manufacture; which has an annular bead along i s upper edge and which head is formed integrally with the blank and cup: which can be automatically and quickly manufactured from a single blank by a rapid continuous method; and which can be quickly, conveniently, compactly and automatically nested into suitable compact'packages for convenient distribution and sale.

Blanks for producing cups of the herein-described novel construction are cut from paper sheets which may be either plain surfaced or with water-proofed coatings or qualities, after which the novel blank of my invention is rolled or bent about a suitable conoidal form so that one lateral edge and adjacent area of the cup forms an outer overlapping. edge and reinforcing area extending from the cup rim to its opposite end.

My invention also includes and contemplates the cutting of sheets of suitable paper or the like which are in the form of a plurality of adjacent aligned cup blanks connected together by a relatively short integral tongue and which may v be termed strips, the same permitting such strips of. connected together blanks to be more quickly and conveniently handled and fed into suitable cup forming machinery, which machinery will cut and sever each blank along the portion or edge which connects it to theadl'acent blank or strips of blanks, thereby completing the blank cutting or blank forming operation and simultaneously facilitating delivery of the blanks to suitable cup forming mechanisms.

The two overlapping side areas of the cup are held in close proximity to each other not only by the tendency of the paper blank to spread out to its original flat form' but also by the rolled integral bead which forms the upper periphery of the cup.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and novel design of blank paper or the like which has a plurality of integral peripheral tongues at its narrower end, preferably two in number, and which blank is of such a shape and outline as to permit revolution of the blank so that it may be rolled and formed to present either one of the flat surfaces as the exterior of the cup.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a cup of conoidal or substantially conical form, and the method of manufacturing the same, which cup has the upper peripheral edge rolled back or doubled back upon itself to form a periphery which reinforces and rigidities the cup and presents a rounded and V blunt beaded upper edge.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a paper receptacle of conoidal cross section formed from a single blank of paper or the like and which has its narrower or apex end formed into a rounded and substantially blunt end, and which rounded end is reinforced by one of the overlapping tongues or extensions of the blank.

Further objects of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying description and drawing.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the novel blank of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational and fragmentary view of a portion of a suitable mandrel and gripping means, the movable lower bifurcated end of which has gripped the gripping portion of the blank.

Fig. 3 is a sid elevational and fragmentary view illustrating a fragment of the gripping mandrel after it has rolled a short distance of its normal arcuate path.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fragment of the conoidal cup showing the cup completed on its mandrel except for securing the external overlapping tongue.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4 showing the partly rolled partly finished cup and taken from the side to show the overlapping side edges.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional and fragmentary view taken on a central vertical plane through the cup and showing the overlapping position of the cup parts adjacent the bottom.

Fig. '7 is a top plan view, with parts broken away, of a relatively long continuous blank of paper or the like which has been cut to form a plurality of aligned connected together blanks of the construction hereinbefore described.

Reference numeral Ill designates the main body portion of the blank of flexible material, such as paper, which may be suitably coated, treated or manufactured in order to hav satisfactory waterproof qualities. Said blanks are cut from sheets of paper in large numbers, stacks or sheets at one time for the purpose of economy in manufacture.

The blank is of substantially triangular outline and is defined by relatively long arcuate edge H and by inwardly curved side edge H. The third edge of th blank is the substantially straight side edge l3 which extends substantially radially with respect to arcuate edge H and which together with edge l2 forms an apex I4 and an angle which may be either less or slightly greater than a right angle.

A narrow and elongated slit or recess I5 is cut in the blank along a line substantially parallel with th side edge i3 and opening on the curved side edge l2, and said recess l5 terminates at its inner end in a coincident circular annular recess 16 which preferably extends toward the arcuate edge H in order to form a convenient integral gripping tongue, extension or portion l1 (also defined substantially by dotted lines in Fig. 1), integral with the blank Ill. The numeral I80. designates the integral portions of the blank surrounding the annular recess I6, and numeral l8 designates the glue area which extends in the shape of a capital L along the straight edge l3 and terminates in a curved portion upon the portion l8a surrounding the annular recess [6.

The slit or recess I5 together with annular recess l6 divide the side portions of the blank in an inner integral grippable tongue or extension I1 and the outer substantially rectangular extension or tongue is, th latter forming the outer overlapping portions of the narrow rounded bottom of the completed cup. Said glue layer is applied mechanically by suitable rollers or applicators previous to the cup forming steps.

Fig. 2 illustrates the first step in the formation of the cup. Numeral II designates the lower portionof a suitable mechanically operated mandrel of conoidal shape and having a gradually rounded blunt end as shown, and which has its said end bifurcated, one-half of said bifurcated end being cut away and movably mounted with respect to the remainder of the mandrel so that by mechanical means the gripper portion is adapted to grip a thin blank edge between the opposed surfaces forming part of said bifurcation.

The blank is preferably moved with curved side edge I! forwardly so that the grippable tongue or extension I1 is placed between the opposed surfaces of the bifurcated end of the mandrel and of the movable gripper member whereupon the gripper member is moved to pinch and grip the outer portion of the grippable extension or tongue l1 substantially as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The mandrel then is rotated and suitable rollers (not shown) begin to press and hold the blank flat against the mandrel surface, and as the rotation of th mandrel continues the blank will reach a position as shown in Fig. 3. It is to be noted that the circular area I immediately surrounding circular recess I8 is not part of the gripped portion of the blank and that it remains beyond the rounded end of the gripping mandrel, as said area ultimately forms the rounded bottom of the cup.

when the blank assumes theposition of Fig. 3 (in which the mandrel has rotated approximately one turn) upon continuance of th rotation the glue bearing blank areas |8a begin and continue to roll substantially spirally to overlap the edges of the blank l8a. which are closest to the gripped tongue l1, and as the rotation continues,

the glue bearing areas "a and adjacent circular edge spirally overlap the edge portions previously wound about the rounded narrower end of the mandrel, substantially as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, this causing said later wound glue bearing portions to press thos previously wound portions substantially against the mandrel and to simultaneously form the blunt, rounded bottom as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6.

During said formation, the area 22 (outside the dotted line of Fig. 1) and adjacent curved edge I! becomes an inner overlapped reinforcing portion of the cup while the area 2| bearing most of the adhesive becomes the outer overlapping portion which overlaps area 22 in the finished cup. As the blank is rolled to form the cup, the glued or cemented area when gradually rolled and pressed over previously rolled and pressed areas, adheres to the latter to securely hold the formed cup in position.

It will be noted that the substantially rectangular integral portion, tongue or extension I! forms the outer reinforcing spirally wound layer which surrounds the bottom of the cup and imparts substantial rigidity to it. Further, the circular recess l6 provides the formation of an apex in the above-described cup'forming process and positions the areas surrounding said recess in position to be successively overlapped so that a rounded narrow bottom is formed of cross section substantially as shown in Fig. 6, and with each successive area overlapping and holding in curved rounded position an area of the cup previously wound. It will also be noted that, as shown in Fig. the arcuate edge ll becomes the upper periphery of the cup which may preferably, though not necessarily, lie in a common plane.

While a cup or receptacle of the above described construction and method of manufacture is actually a complete, usable and commercial article, having the distinctive features and advantages herein pointed out, I also include as a feature of the invention of this application the aforesaid cup having an integrally formed bead, upper edge or periphery, and I will now proceed to describe generally the structural feature consisting of an integral bead or folded or rolled peripheral edge. As stated, an objectionable feature has been the sharp peripheral edge of cups heretofore known which have caused injury from cutting the user's lips, especially when used on trains and other fast moving vehicles, which objectionable features are entirely eliminated by the formation of the integral bead or rolled edge.

The peripheral annular bead is formed by flattening or crimping the peripheral edge portion inwardly while the cup is gripped between suitable male and female gripping forms, and while still so gripped, folding or rolling down the preformed edge to form a folded edge or peripheral bead 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

This construction prevents the otherwise objectionable crushing, tearing, splitting, or crumbling which would frequently take place in absence of a rigidifying reinforcing bead.

As illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawing, a desirable method of die cutting relatively long sheets or blanks so as to form a plurality of cup blanks of the construction hereinbefore described which are connected together along a relatively short edge, this being for the purpose of providing relatively long sheets of connected together blanks which may b more easily and economically handled and more quickly fitted into a cup forming machine than would be the case if each blank were out completely individually. The dotted line portions of Fig. 7 extending from letters "a-a. which define the uncut portion of the arcuate surface, are adapted to be quickly and automatically cut and severed by automatic means as the relatively long blank is fitted into the cup forming machine.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A conoidal receptacle formed from a single side edge extending from said arcuate edge and a third straight edge connecting said arcuate and said converging edges, said blank having a recess with spaced edges opening on its converging edge, and defining with said converging and straight edges a pair of spaced apart integral extensions opposite said arcuate edge, one of said extensions providing a gripping element whereby said blank may be held to be formed into a conoidal receptacle, the other extension being overlapable over the gripped extension and over itself around the recess opening to form a rounded bottom cup.

2. A conoidal receptacle formed from a blank of paper or the like having an arcuate edge, a curved side edge extending from said arcuate edge in a radial direction and a straight edge connecting said arcuate edge and said curved side edge, a slit having spaced edges in said blank opening on said curved side edge, said slit, terminating in an annular recess, the blank portion adjacent said slit providing a gripping element whereby said blank is rolled into conoidal shape, the blank areas adjacent said curved side edge and said straight edge being overlapped and cemented together and forming a rounded cup bottom.

3. A conoidal cup formed from a blank of substantially triangular shape having an arcuate edge and having two side edges, one of said side edges being gradually curved toward the apex of the blank, the other side edge being substantially straight, said blank having a slot having spaced edges opening on said curved edge and terminating in an annular recess, said blank being so folded that the material around the recess forms a rounded bottom having four thicknesses at the cup apex.

4. A conical cup formed from a single blank having an arcuate edge, a curved side edge extending from said arcuate edge in a substantially radial direction and a straight edge connecting said arcuate edge and said curved edge, a recess having spaced edges opening on said curved edge and defining with said curved and straight edges 9. grippable member and a tongue member, an integral area formed in the blank around the inner portion of said recess, said integral area being overlappable on itself in forming the cup to form a rounded bottom on said cup.

5. A conical cup formed from a single blank having an arcuate edge, a curved side edge extending from said arcuate edge in a substantially radial direction and a substantially straight edge connecting said arcuate and curved edges, a recess having spaced edges opening onto said curved edge adjacent said straight edge, one edge of said recess forming with said straight edge a sealing tongue for said cup, the other edge defining with said curved edge a grippable portion about which said cup may be. formed, the inner portion of said recess with the area immediately surrounding the same being overlappable to form a rounded bottom for said cup.

' METHOD IVIERTA. 

